02/09/2007 12:43 PM
Australian Aaron Baddeley shares the lead at the halfway mark of the Deutsche Bank Championship, but it looks like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson will have plenty to say about who wins.
Baddeley, who played with Woods in the final group on Sunday at the US Open, carded a 66 at TPC Boston on day two to join Rich Beem (66) and Mike Weir (68) at nine-under par.
The trio heads left-hander Mickelson (64) and a group of three other players at eight-under.
Woods is tied for 13th at six-under courtesy of a sizzling seven-under 64.
Baddeley had seven birdies and two bogeys to grab a share of the lead.
At 21st in the FedEx Cup, he is well inside the cutoff of the top 70 to advance to next week's event.
"It was definitely a goal this week was to lock up the Tour Championship and to play well and to give myself an opportunity to win," Baddeley.
"I knew winning would definitely guarantee the Tour Championship."
Another Aussie, Steve Elkington, remains in the hunt at six-under after following up his opening round 66 with a solid 70.
Defending champion Woods got hot on his final nine.
"I knew that three or four-under-par would put me right back in the tournament. Now I'm back in the tournament," Woods said.
"We'll see what the weather is (Sunday) and find my score and hopefully go shoot it."
Mickelson had his own hot stretch in the middle of the round when he played eight holes in seven-under.
He birdied 15 and 16 and finished his front nine with an eagle at 18.
He maintained his momentum on the inward half, birdying numbers one, two and four before closing a bogey-free round with a string of five pars.
Sean O'Hair (66), Brett Wetterich (68) and Ryan Moore (69) are tied with Mickelson at eight-under.
Colombian Camilo Villegas followed up an opening eight-under 63 with a 72 and is at seven-under.
Of the Australians, John Senden (71) and Robert Allenby (69) are five strokes adrift of Baddeley and co. while Geoff Ogilvy (70) and Adam Scott (72) are two shots further back.
Rod Pampling (67) stayed within sight of the leaders and Nathan Green (70) improved to draw level with the card.
Compatriots Stuart Appleby (76), Peter Lonard (74) and Nick O'Hern all missed the cut, however.
Second Round of The Deutsche Bank Championship, (Par 71):
-9 Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 67 66, Rich Beem 67 66, Mike Weir 65 68
-8 Sean O'Hair 68 66, Phil Mickelson 70 64, Brett Wetterich 66 68, Ryan Moore 65 69
-7 Arron Oberholser 69 66, Camilo Villegas 63 72, Ryuji Imada 69 66, Craig Kanada 67 68, Rory Sabbatini 68 67
-6 Steve Elkington (Australia) 66 70, Tiger Woods 72 64, Steve Stricker 67 69, Heath Slocum 66 70
also:
-4 John Senden (Australia) 67 71, Robert Allenby (Australia) 69 69
-2 Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 70 70, Adam Scott (Australia) 68 72
-1 Rod Pampling (Australia) 74 67
E Nathan Green (Australia) 72 70
missed cut:
+3 Stuart Appleby (Australia) 69 76
+4 Peter Lonard (Australia) 72 74
+6 Nick O'Hern (Australia) 78 70
withdrawn:
Stephen Leaney (Australia) 71